


Our future Looks So Bright

by snowynight



Category: Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Alternate Universe - Not Starfleet, Alternate Universe - Slavery, Angst, Diary/Journal, M/M, Master/Slave, Oblivious, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-24
Updated: 2018-04-07
Packaged: 2019-04-07 09:12:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,108
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14077617
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snowynight/pseuds/snowynight
Summary: Spock discovers his master Jim's diary after Jim's declared death. It shatters his presumption of their past. (Former Slave!Spock AU)





	1. Main Story

Spock surveyed the living room, which remained the same since Mr. Kirk’s disappearance in Aria. He delayed sorting Mr. Kirk’s belongings after his declared death, but it was time to do so despite his illogical wish otherwise.

He stopped before the old sofa. It was Mr. Kirk’s favourite because "it has character", despite the squeaking frame. It was here Mr. Kirk taught him how to read. Spock’s fingers lingered on the fabric, imagining that he could sense the remaining warmth.

 _It is still usable_ , Spock thought, turning away to the cabinet on the right.

As an explorer, Mr. Kirk collected quite a number of curiosities from his expeditions. He took out a papier mache lamp from the cabinet and remembered.

* * *

> “It’s easy to discover artifacts, but real work begins when you catalogue them and try to find out what they are used for,” Mr. Kirk said. “For example, what do you think this is made of?”
> 
> Spock was wary. It was deemed too risky for slaves to handle artifacts, because of their value. He wondered whether Mr. Kirk set it as a test. “It is too expensive…”
> 
> “It’s all right,” Mr. Kirk said, putting it in Spock’s hand.
> 
> Spock touched it carefully. It was hard and smooth, but Spock was unsure what it was. Spock felt strangely disappointed that he could not provide any answers. “I have no idea, sir.”
> 
> Mr. Kirk smiled. “This is called papier mache. It was made of paper, water and some kind of sticky paste. We’ve found it in masks and book binding, but I imagined that there were more already decayed.”
> 
> Mr. Kirk’s face lit up as he went over his collection, teaching Spock how to catalogue them. He seemed comfortable to admit that he did not know everything about them. “The past is a frontier for the present. Every knowledge we discover will make a better tomorrow.”
> 
> From then on Mr. Kirk shared his every discovery with Spock, coaching him to be an expert of them.

* * *

 

The sound of the teapot brought Spock to the present. Thanks to Mr. Kirk, Spock was allowed to lead a comfortable life as a free man. Not only did he teach him everything, but also he introduced and recommended him to his colleagues. It was as if Mr. Kirk was preparing for this day Spock could support himself.

Spock drank his tea quickly to suppress the unpleasant feeling. He developed an acquired taste for tea since Mr. Kirk placed a regular order. Curiously Mr. Kirk favoured coffee at home.

Spock decided to have more tea after finishing his cup. Then he thought about going over documents again. Eventually he forced himself to move on.

His heart paced as he entered Mr. Kirk’s room, where everything remained undisturbed.

On the nightstand lay the Tales of Two Cities, a favourite of Mr. Kirk’s. Spock found a good paper copy at a surprisingly low price in a garage sale. He could still remember Mr. Kirk’s delight as he received the gift. At the time he justified the purchase as a logical attempt to establish himself in the household, but now he admitted that he did it for Mr. Kirk’s smile. He put down the book as if it burnt him, keeping it at the same opened page.

Spock went over the bed and the closet before arriving at Mr. Kirk’s desk. _It is illogical to stall_ , Spock thought, so he forced himself to open the drawer.

The drawer was filled with receipts, scissors, clips, tapes, take-out menus and appliance manuals among other belongings. Underneath the clutter Spock found a thick notebook.

Spock opened it and discovered that it was Mr. Kirk’s diary. He should have put it away, but his fingers flipped until arriving at the entry dated the day of Spock’s purchase.

* * *

> March 15. Sunny
> 
> I bought a man. A Vulcan. I am overdue for an assistant and a housekeeper, but buying a person?
> 
> Bones said I’m being a hypocrite with misplaced guilt. Bones is always right. But at least I can treat him as well as I can.

As Spock read Mr. Kirk’s diary, he was surprised by Mr. Kirk’s keen observation of him.

> September 16. Rain.
> 
> Spock seems to like Earl grey tea, which means that his eyes softened lightly as he drank it. I order weekly delivery even though he will deny his need if I ask him straight. It’s logical to make sure that he can enjoy it whenever he wants.

Spock raised an eyebrow as he was unaware of Mr. Kirk’s true motive. He was unsure why Mr. Kirk did that for him.

Mr. Kirk covered more and more about Spock as time went on, from their regular trips to museums, Spock’s training progress to idle noodling. Mr. Kirk’s pride and affection for Spock filled the pages, but so were his guilt and doubt about bounding Spock to him.

Spock’s heart stopped for a moment as he arrived at this entry.

> April 1. Cloudy
> 
> ...I talk about something to Spock, which I forget what. Spock raises an eyebrow and declares my illogic.
> 
> Then I realize that I fall for him.
> 
> Admit it, James T. Kirk, you have fallen hard for him for long.
> 
> But it will go nowhere. Spock should never know because… I am a bastard, but I am not low enough to force myself on him.
> 
> It’s all right. No one dies of a broken heart.

Spock felt stabbed in his chest. _Why didn’t I know about this?_

 _Would I have let myself realized that?_ Spock thought. _No, I would not._

The past flashed before his eyes, but with new perspective Spock saw things either he did not or was unwilling to realize. While Mr. Kirk never said anything, he encouraged and supported Spock beyond duty, kindness or even friendship. Everything he did for Spock was out of love.

Later Mr. Kirk wrote:

> It’s a crime to keep Spock here anymore. Spock deserves the sky and beyond, not trapped in an iron cage.
> 
> "Love seeketh not Itself to please,
> 
> Nor for itself hath any care;
> 
> But for another gives its ease,
> 
> And builds a Heaven in Hells despair."

Mr. Kirk detailed how he worked on setting Spock free in the later entries. He called in favour, throwing out money and time to ensure that Spock would be truly free and financially sound. Spock remembered how tired and busy Mr. Kirk was in last months. _He must be working on releasing me_ , Spock realized. _But he never let me know._

On the last entry Mr. Kirk wrote:

> Soon Spock will leave, and I … will be content. I have already have more of him that I ever should, so the last thing I can do is to set him free.
> 
> He won’t know anything about my… feeling, as I hope we can part on good term.
> 
> Farewell, Spock.

Spock tightened his fist so hard that his knuckles turned white.

"M. Kirk… Jim,” Spock whispered.

Jim kept his words, but Spock would never be entirely free, as his heart belonged to him. But it was too late for them now, unless …

Spock closed it carefully and returned it to its original location. He needed to make a lot of call.

* * *

 

“What’s the use of going to Aria now, Spock? Jim’s dead,” Doctor McCoy said as Spock made the final check to the plane.

“I have a duty to him.”

“Jim set you free. You’re a free man and have no obligation to him.”

“Strap on the seatbelt,” Spock said. Logic informed him that, under the circumstances, the only possible action would have to be one of desperation, so it was logical to look for Jim despite the danger.

When Spock gently lifted a badly malnourished but still alive Jim in his arms, the sky was never so blue and endless.


	2. Side Story: Tea Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set before the main story

Mr. Kirk said, "I bought some tea. Do you want to try them?"

Spock nodded. Mr. Kirk was unusually generous for a master, but a master's words were always an order. "Which one do you want, Mr. Kirk? "

"Let’s try them all."

Every tea was different: the cinnamon tea was sweet, while the dark tea had a heavy taste. Spock tasted every kind of them and liked Earl Grey best.

From then on Mr. Kirk placed a regular order for the tea, telling Spock to drank them all before the next delivery. "I don’t want to waste it."

"I can cut the order if there is enough tea," Spock said.

"No need," Mr. Kirk said with a grin.

Spock raised an eyebrow at his waste, but secretly pleased with the prospect for more tea.


	3. Side Story: Injury

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Past: Mr. Kirk returns injured from his expedition.

"Damn it, Jim! Do you know how much white hair I have? Every one is because of you. " Doctor McCoy said while checking over Mr Kirk's injury.

Despite Mr Kirk's bruised face and bandaged arm, his eyes shone with excitement. "Bones, you're being dramatic again.”

He turned to Spock with an apologetic smile. “No need to worry, Spock, not that Vulcans worry."

But Spock did worry. He poured a glass of water for Mr. Kirk, who took it with his good hand and thanked him.

"So how did you get hurt again? Wrestling with giant gorilla or swinging from killer trees? " Doctor McCoy asked.

Mr Kirk's grin grew brighter. "A robot guard had a disagreement with me, but it is totally worth it. Watch it. "

The device Mr. Kirk held had a long and narrow end. When he pushed and pulled its handle repeatedly, the device vibrated vapidly.

"What is this?" The doctor raised an eyebrow. He touched its end and quickly withdrew his hand. “Aw!”

"I don't know," Mr Kirk shrugged.

"So you risked your limbs and life for some junk?"

"The fun is to figure it out," Mr. Kirk smiled. "Whatever it turns out to be, the process will be worth it."

"I don't believe you, " Doctor McCoy shook his head.

Mr Kirk only winked at Spock with a smile. "When Bone's done with me, I want your opinion when we work on them together."

“No more playing with your toys. You need rest,” Doctor McCoy said.

Spock added, “It is logical for you to focus on your recovery.”

Mr. Kirk sighed. “All right. A game of chess if you have time for it?”

Spock nodded, wondering why he felt warm at Mr. Kirk’s smile.


	4. Travelogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!

> Long before setting feet on Aria, the smell of rust and sewage attacks the traveller's nose. There are many speculations why several piles of rusted iron scatter on the island. Is it part of a lighthouse? Is it a disposal pit for waste metals? Is it a sign that boasted the island's claim to military superiority?
> 
> No matter its origin, it is now home and shelter to giant birds and rats, which travellers are well advised to stay away, as the animals are known to be aggressive when protecting their home.
> 
> Going further into Aria is an unsettling experience. It was once a city built on overhead steel.  When they fell out of a lack of maintenance, the large steel cut up the earth and became dangerous traps to travellers. Yet one witnesses the triumph of nature over humanity: forests and shrubs sprouted out of the wreckage, and wild beasts roamed day and night.

 

\- Extract from Beyond the Mist: a Traveller's Guide by Pandora Kwzen, published by Horizontal Press.

 

No one knew where the mist came from nor how it spread around the world. Theories ranged from alien technology, terrorist attack to military experiment went horribly wrong. The mist was extremely dangerous, killing people in hazard suits upon contact. Communication signals also became gibberish in the mist. When it spread around the world, vast expense of lands became uninhabitable, so the remaining population were stranded in artificial island habitats. Later people discovered that the mist had a cycle, making exploration beyond the mist possible. The popular term for the exploration “mist surfing” was misleading, as no people would actually surf in the mist if they valued their own life.

"The first rule about the mist is to be over-prepared," The renowned explorer Mr. Kirk said in an interview. "I came across people who died because they should know better. I came across people who did things right but still died anyway. Even your home garden could kill you with the right or wrong condition, so those who underestimate the mist are both danger to themselves and their teammates. "

Unfortunately, Mr. Kirk is currently missing during his expedition to Aria, which again proves the danger of Aria

-Extract from Aria: the most dangerous place in the world, published in Explorer Magazine issue 254

**Author's Note:**

> note: presumed death
> 
> fan_flashworks prompt: diary; gen_prompt bingo: secret/lies.
> 
> The poem quoted: Blake, William. “The Clod & the Pebble.” Songs of Experience.


End file.
